MBBS study abroad: Success ratio in FMGE remains low

Ahmedabad: Only 17,812 candidates who completed medical graduation in countries abroad could qualify to practice in India in last three years out of total 85,722. It means only 21 per cent candidates could pass the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) during the past 3 years in last three years.

The FMGE exam is a licensure examination which is mandatory for an Indian citizen who has a medical degree from a foreign institute to practice medicine in India. It is conducted twice a year by the National Examination Board (NEB). In June 2020, as little as 1,999 candidates were qualified out of total 17,198, while in December 2020, as many as 3,928 candidates were qualified out of 18,576 in such exams, reflecting around 11.62 % and 21.15 % success in the FMGE exam in June and December 2020 respectively.

When asked a foreign study consultant argued that the result of FMGE would be as low as 10 per cent in the past, which has now increased to 21 per cent and it is likely to improve further year-by-year. A consultant further argued that any foreign medical graduate gets unlimited opportunities and can always retry to pass FMGE. He said, the foreign colleges such as those in Central Asian, Russian and former USSR countries given weightage on practical knowledge, while FMGE is just a theory exam.

Usually, the students who are unable to get admission in the medical colleges within the country choose to study MBBS from China, Russia, former U.S.S.R states, Philippines and other countries. They are required to qualify FMGE exam and do an internship at a Government or Private hospital in the country after the completion of their MBBS degree to get a licence of Medical Council of India (MCI) for practicing medicines in India.

It is to be noted that from year 2023 onwards, NEET Exit Exam will be mandatory to qualify for the MBBS pass-outs from the foreign countries as well as from India to start medical practice.

DeshGujarat